Looking Back, Moving Forward: BA NIA’s 2024 Impact Report is Here
We’re proud to share BA NIA’s 2024 Impact Report — a celebration of another year of growth, purpose, and community. This past year, we deepened our roots in Chicago’s South Side, expanding programs, strengthening partnerships, and continuing our mission to ensure that birthing people can make autonomous decisions about their bodies and births.
Inside the report, you’ll find highlights of a transformative year:
29 live births supported and over 10 core services delivered, including doula care, perinatal yoga, breastfeeding support, and postpartum education.
Expansion of our Ancestral Seeds Certification Program, training a new generation of community-based birth workers.
A growing network of 13 strategic partners and 14 funders, including multi-year and government grants that position us for long-term sustainability.
New community programs and events, from birthing healing circles to maternal health workshops and film screenings, all focused on advancing reproductive and birth justice.
Participation in a roundtable discussion with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton as part of the state’s new $23 million Birth Equity Initiative, reflecting BA NIA’s growing role in shaping maternal health policy and advocacy across Illinois.
Our Executive Director, Mekazin Alexander was honored with the Chicago Foundation for Women’s Southside Giving Circle Leadership Award.
We invite you to turn to the report for stories of direct impact, a recap of the many events we hosted this year, and to get inspired by the collective work our community is doing every day. These stories matter — because they show that when we invest in the power and wisdom of our communities, we change outcomes, strengthen families, and save lives.
This year also marked the beginning of something new: the groundwork for our upcoming Mother and Baby Wellness Spa, set to open in 2026 as the first of its kind on Chicago’s South Side. The spa will offer a serene environment for massage and hydrotherapy for babies 6 weeks to 8 months of age. Spa services support baby’s mental and physical development to help develop muscle strength and increase brain development especially for babies that are developmentally delayed.
As we look ahead to 2025, our focus is on nurturing long-term relationships with donors, expanding our staff and training programs, and continuing to build the equitable, community-centered maternal health system our neighborhoods deserve.
We invite you to read the full 2024 Impact Report and celebrate this work with us, and share it with someone who believes in this work. Thank you to our community, supporters, and partners who continue to make this journey possible. Together, we’re creating a world where every birth is honored and every family is supported — one birth at a time.